tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.comments2024-03-18T07:08:05.925-05:00Strange MatterStrangelethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-1693907121072868892021-10-31T05:40:54.989-05:002021-10-31T05:40:54.989-05:00Hello! Wonderful post! Please when I could see a ...Hello! Wonderful post! Please when I could see a follow up! <a href="http://cooksty.com" rel="nofollow">Cooksty</a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11438246478141807742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-83681600063139996102017-11-15T01:38:01.795-06:002017-11-15T01:38:01.795-06:00Your thoughts about the most magical fantasies bei...Your thoughts about the most magical fantasies being about worlds that simply exist, and don't care about us, and seem to have different kinds of concerns unrelated to our own particular dramas, are really beautiful. I randomly happened upon this blog while browsing through stuff about my favorite childhood book, and I'm glad I did!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06610677524061020401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-4646680073674963742013-06-10T02:19:41.920-05:002013-06-10T02:19:41.920-05:00To quote Edward Feser, naturalism isn't a bada...To quote Edward Feser, naturalism isn't a badass worldview. It's just a back-assward worldview. :)<br /><br />http://edwardfeser.blogspot.fi/2009/12/spectaclism-versus-naturalism.html179phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09716153538181361576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-16231667511325412932012-08-18T19:19:36.710-05:002012-08-18T19:19:36.710-05:00Made pizza--awesome!Made pizza--awesome!Daniel Messingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13525522246763534673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-79189282602749492842012-05-30T10:41:03.770-05:002012-05-30T10:41:03.770-05:00Sure, but the thing about Bayes Theorem is that no...Sure, but the thing about Bayes Theorem is that no matter what priors you start with, if you have enough evidence, you'll converge on the same opinion. The difficulty lies when you have relatively little evidence.Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-59802748611891464172012-05-30T08:26:58.340-05:002012-05-30T08:26:58.340-05:00Campus Crusade for Bayes. Have been thinking about...Campus Crusade for Bayes. Have been thinking about how Bayes provides a lens when two people think two different things about a situation. They have different priors. They may see the same data, but one believes it to support the hypothesis, the other is more sceptical--based on their priors.Daniel Messingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13525522246763534673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-2157219166785753952012-05-24T09:17:41.559-05:002012-05-24T09:17:41.559-05:00In case you haven't discovered this trick yet,...In case you haven't discovered this trick yet, brush the crust with a little olive oil before putting the sauce on it. (Yay, science!)Kythehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09610339539892485325noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-36312130541298723732012-05-17T14:21:01.913-05:002012-05-17T14:21:01.913-05:00Dealing with school bullies is something that near...Dealing with school bullies is something that nearly every child will encounter at some point in time. As a parent, it is heartbreaking to hear about a school bully who has his or her eye on your precious baby. As parents, it is our job to help teach our children, the correct method for dealing with school bullies and how to defend themselves. If you would like to work towards making your children's school safer, you can visit this link, you might find it interesting: https://safekidzone.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-77464645111131836832012-05-08T13:59:38.320-05:002012-05-08T13:59:38.320-05:00Ha! I thought so, too. What aspect in particular s...Ha! I thought so, too. What aspect in particular seemed radical to you?<br /><br />And look! Threaded comments!Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-60385210890114883552012-05-08T13:47:01.445-05:002012-05-08T13:47:01.445-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-37890757037506857112012-05-08T01:01:40.001-05:002012-05-08T01:01:40.001-05:00Heh, interesting that the person said it wasn'...Heh, interesting that the person said it wasn't radical. That was the exact opposite of my impression when I came over and read it.Jay Feldmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18062667831839703156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-26260526188813424882012-05-02T11:41:13.714-05:002012-05-02T11:41:13.714-05:00L-bomb, I think you may find this article of inter...L-bomb, I think you may find this article of interest: http://acestoohigh.com/2012/04/23/lincoln-high-school-in-walla-walla-wa-tries-new-approach-to-school-discipline-expulsions-drop-85/Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11732866681051579002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-45757967314083494162012-05-01T22:22:56.186-05:002012-05-01T22:22:56.186-05:00Thanks, D!
Unknown: I take your point, and I thin...Thanks, D!<br /><br />Unknown: I take your point, and I think that's important. I suppose my system leaves it the teacher's discretion to decide what is too much, since I think there's a fair point to be made that kids shouldn't be too coddled, and some razzing or teasing isn't too harmful. Unfortunately, the teacher has an obvious incentive not to interfere at all, since it's difficult and stressful, as I said in my intro and as L-bomb has made quite clear. I think, also, if we're being charitable to teachers, we should note that it's possible they're worried about making things worse for the kid, if they get bullied worse outside of school or something similar.<br /><br />L-bomb: Thank you so much for your comments. Because this was a short essay written for submission, it's much different than the blog posts I normally write, in which I think I'm usually much more careful to allow for hypotheticals, alternate arguments and the like. So I should clarify where I'm coming from: I completely agree that being a teacher, especially a middle school teacher, and especially especially a public teacher, is incredibly difficult, and teachers are constantly told by the media and society that they're doing it wrong. If you check out my other posts on education (there's a tag), I think you'll find that my views are very sympathetic to yours. My experience has been purely in a private school setting, and while I stand by the system I've laid out, I never intended to be able to handle the more extreme of repeated behavioral disruptions in class. No one has figured out how to fix that in public schools, and I certainly don't have a better idea. I guess what I probably should have said is that this might stop bullying, but more importantly, this will reduce the harm that bullying does, since it gives the bullied an outlet and a resource. I absolutely do not advocate talking to the student in front of the others, in fact I was careful to say that ostracizing them further is exactly the wrong thing to do. I did not know they were not allowed to be in a room with a teacher; this makes things more difficult, I admit, but I expect that there might be some time during the day when a few words of support might be given. It could make all the difference, since the people who really need help, especially if stopping the bullies is as difficult as you say, are those who are bullied. I hope your day improves.Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-18561070063284305172012-05-01T20:16:52.929-05:002012-05-01T20:16:52.929-05:00I think that your letter is completely impractical...I think that your letter is completely impractical, in addition to insulting. Do I tell you how to do your job? Everyone has an opinion about how teaching should be better. I'd like to see you and everyone else spend a day in a public school teacher's shoes. ESPECIALLY a middle school teacher. I happen to love teaching middle school, but I am certainly in the minority.<br /><br />As for, "If you see students being bullied, reach out to them gently, reminding them that the teacher is always available for talking, comfort and a safe space." How EXACTLY is a teacher supposed to DO that? I know! I'll set 42 other kids to work while I invite that ONE kid up to my desk where everyone else can hear and see me talking to them about bullying. I should add, as a public school teacher, I am NEVER supposed to be alone in a room with a student. Much less touch them.<br /><br />Sure, you can make it clear that name calling is unacceptable, BUT what if a kids says "no" and continues. You write a detention, call home. The behavior still continues. The parents are not in control of the child's behavior, many parents are completely uninvolved in their children's education. You give the child a seat away from the rest of the class and they refuse to sit in that chair. You write a referral, nothing happens for three weeks, then the kid sees an administrator and by the time they do, that student has forgotten why they got a referral in the first place. I had a kid jump on top of another kid and rub his private parts in the other kid's face. THAT kid has a seat 5 feet away from everyone else.<br /><br />Everyone knows bullying happens, it's been around for centuries. The reason why it hasn't stopped is because it's just not that EASY to make it go away.<br /><br />In my classroom, if kids say nasty things to each other, that's speaking trash. And if kids speak trash, they have to pick up a piece of trash and throw it away. One senior in my advanced chorus had to pick up two pieces of trash today. They absolutely LOVE tattling on each other. NOBODY wants to pick up old trash so this is a very effective consequence. Unfortunately the custodial staf has been cut this year so there is PLENTY of trash in the classrooms. >I<br /><br />I have had a very bad day. I've been trying to take my kids on an awesome field trip and the trip was not approved by the administration. I've been working on trying to get this thing together for 3 months! Two high schoolers out right refused to learn the dance steps for the song in the Spring Concert... I taught a middle school class today with NO CHAIRS. And finally, the giant hole in the wall was finally mended and painted over, but I found out DURING CLASS that the chorus is not allowed to be in the room because of the TOXIC FUMES. Alright, I'll take them in the hall. Bullying is NOT on my list of priorities.L-bombhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09753874486244379382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-59538451793990491532012-05-01T14:19:59.424-05:002012-05-01T14:19:59.424-05:00The problem for teachers is that they have a confl...The problem for teachers is that they have a conflict of interest. <br /><br />Bullying is bad, but it exists on a spectrum with violence at one end and mild teasing at the other end. (Some might say that chronic taunting is worse than violence but I digress.)<br /><br />However, a certain amount of teasing is accepted as a legitimate part of socialization and socialization is considered important by teachers.<br /><br />So in a sense bullies do part of their job for them, which might explain why most bullying, even when noticed, goes unreported.Ron Tomlinsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08610801524673227011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-76307638383174235072012-05-01T08:28:38.919-05:002012-05-01T08:28:38.919-05:00This is a sagacious call to responsible, measured ...This is a sagacious call to responsible, measured action addressing the needs of the bullies and the bullied!Daniel Messingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13525522246763534673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-56769229859472008602011-10-26T23:26:08.185-05:002011-10-26T23:26:08.185-05:00Your first point is definitely a good one, althoug...Your first point is definitely a good one, although as I'll make clear in the follow-up to this post, I really don't think much math is required. Understanding probability isn't really about whether or not you can do the multiplication, it's about understanding what numbers are relevant and in what fashion, even if only qualitatively (with this kind of number, adjust estimates upward. This kind, downward).<br /><br />As for the latter, I generally assume that people take silly online quizzes just for fun and they often want to know how well they did. Apparently this gives people utility, so it's a rational choice for them. Is my assumption wrong?Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-78388670481502005262011-10-26T01:41:25.466-05:002011-10-26T01:41:25.466-05:00soooo...how does this test rationality, as opposed...soooo...how does this test rationality, as opposed to skill with math? And how are you gauging the incentives that people are rationally (or irrationally) acting towards? For instance, unless I was incentivized by having other people acknowledge how rational I am, the "rational" move would be to not spend 10 minutes doing a test that will either tell me something I already know or cause me to spend more time finding arguments for why the test is flawed.norseboarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05975956146381707862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-59227920474496122762011-09-23T10:22:01.754-05:002011-09-23T10:22:01.754-05:00One belief-system (laws of science) provides testa...One belief-system (laws of science) provides testable predictions that explain a great deal of natural phenomena. One belief-system (God) provides an answer to intuitions of grandeur with no basis in fact.Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-91030328856006533542011-09-08T09:53:17.548-05:002011-09-08T09:53:17.548-05:00Some people believe that there is a God who is ete...Some people believe that there is a God who is eternal. Some people believe that there are eternal laws of science.<br />In whichever way belief is defended, belief remains a belief.<br />One belief-system (God) has been merely replaced by another belief-system (laws of science).<br /><br />A joke:<br /><br />In olden-golden days the saying was: When there was nothing, there was God. When there will be nothing again, there will still be God.<br />But then came the scientists and changed everything. The above saying also changed to this: When there was nothing, there were quantum laws. When there will be nothing again, there will still be quantum laws.<br />These quantum laws are spaceless, timeless, changeless, all-pervading, eternal, unborn, uncreated and immaterial. Only that these laws lack consciousness. In every other respect they are just like God.<br />These quantum laws are spaceless, timeless and immaterial, because when there was no space, no time and no matter, there were still these quantum laws. (Alexander Vilenkin’s model)<br />These quantum laws are all-pervading, because these laws act equally everywhere.<br />These quantum laws are scientists' God.<br />Amen.<br /><br />N.B. Scientists will have a nervous break-down if some day they come to know that quantum laws are not eternal.uchitrakarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09317803821391979129noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-39812076639617146382011-09-04T10:20:09.454-05:002011-09-04T10:20:09.454-05:00@Moss: Absolutely! Do it!
@Sharon: Well, as you k...@Moss: Absolutely! Do it!<br /><br />@Sharon: Well, as you know, that's a very complicated question, and I don't in any way consider myself to be an authority on the matter. That said, my first response would be simply 'social justice applied to gender.' This gives all of the understanding of marginalization, subtle forms of bias, and historical oppression that we might hope for and think about how it applies to women, and non normatively gender identified people and what destructive conceptions of masculinity and femininity do to our society. That's long winded; does it make any sense?Strangelethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00750375109270713658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-67278535503373884772011-08-25T17:13:41.594-05:002011-08-25T17:13:41.594-05:00Can you define feminism for me? I still don't ...Can you define feminism for me? I still don't really know what it means in today's context. <br /><br />--SharonNewbiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928476724799094092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-91535312530220788912011-08-22T09:26:49.752-05:002011-08-22T09:26:49.752-05:00I'm thinking that I'll try to get a group ...I'm thinking that I'll try to get a group of male feminists to wear these shirts at next year's conference. How awesome would that be for a group photo?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07159070490210897759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-6531694236029946162011-08-05T22:17:05.306-05:002011-08-05T22:17:05.306-05:00Oooh! Or, use the nutella as sauce, and sprinkle i...Oooh! Or, use the nutella as sauce, and sprinkle it with something yummy like nuts or raisins or shredded coconut.Newbiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928476724799094092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9116574572286428265.post-73826679490945065122011-08-05T22:15:59.642-05:002011-08-05T22:15:59.642-05:00Idea for the remaining one-half ball of pizza doug...Idea for the remaining one-half ball of pizza dough: spread it with a layer of ricotta cheese instead of pizza sauce and then sprinkle with chocolate chips or a swirl of nutella. I mean, the above sentence has the word "nutella" in it, so you can tell that whatever I'm suggesting is a good idea. Maybe you could also divide the dough into little palm-sized balls to make mini dessert pizzettes. Probably then the entire pizzette will bake through to the middle, since it's so small.Newbiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05928476724799094092noreply@blogger.com